Cigarette with igniter element and method of making such cigarette



July 22, 1958 F. DE CAPlTANl 2,844,152

CIGARETTE WITH IGNITER ELEMENT AND lVlE'I'I-K'ID OF MAKING sucH CIGARETTE Filed March 15. 1954 INVENTOR FRANCESCO DE CAP/TAN/ BY WWW a ATTOKVEYS United States Patent CIGARETTE WITH IGNITER ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING SUCH CIGARETTE Francesco De Capitani, Milan, Italy Application March 15, 1954, Serial No. 416,256 Claims priority, application Italy March 18, 1953 7 Claims. (Cl. 131-7) This invention relates to a process for the addition of endmembers, and in particular igniting members, or the like, to cigarettes while being manufactured, and to cigarettes thereby manufactured.

A number of processes for making cigarettes or the like provided with suitable end members such as igniting members which can be lighted by striking, and the like, are already known.

However, many inconveniences and drawbacks are encountered when carrying into practice the above mentioned processes. The main drawback depends undoubtedly on the fact that the cigarettes cannot be manufactured in only one high speed step, such as on the modern high production machines, by which more than 1,200 cigarettes per minute can be manufactured.

At present, it seems more convenient to manufacture cigarettes provided with end members by means of two independent machines, i. e. a high output machine, de-

signed for the manufacture of conventional cigarettes,.

which are then forwarded to a second machine, whereon the required member is added on one cigarette end.

It follows that the remarkable advantages shown by an-improved type of cigarette, such as a cigarette provided with holder and igniting member, are cancelled by the high manufacturing costs and by the low output.

The main object of this invention is to provide a process for the high-speed manufacture of cigarettes provided with the aforespecified type of end members such as igniting members or the like at a production rate of the same order as that which can be attained with the present machines for the continuous manufacture of cigarettes.

A further object of the invention consists in the manufacture of cigarettes of the aforespecified type by means of the conventional automatic machines, to which suitable equipment has been added, in order to allow the proper fitting of end members into the cigarettes while they are being conventionally manufactured, by laying the same members properly spaced on the paper strip wherefrom, after it has been wound around the tobacco roll,

the cigarettes are cut. All this is accomplished without reducing the operating speed of the machine, and above all prevents damage to the features and characteristics of cigarettes thus manufactured.

The process according to this invention is characterized in that elements, each of which is made-up of two end members, are set, properly spaced, on the paper strip designed to enclose the tobacco roll. Said space must correspond to the length of at least one cigarette, whereupon the cigarettes are cut by making a cut through the middle of said element. Thus each cigarette will be provided with the end members at least in one of their ends.

Such a basic inventive idea can be carried into prac tice in a number of different ways, depending on the type and features of the end member which is to be fitted to the cigarette.

Patented July 22, 1958 Assuming that the end member to be fitted to the cigarette is an igniting member, then a strengthening section having an igniter incorporated therein is applied first of all to paper strip designed to enclose the tobacco roll. Such a strengthening section is then rolled-up and enclosed within the cigarette paper tube. In some cases a continuous tobacco roll can thereby be enclosed within the paper strip. Then, the strengthening tube enclosed within the paper strip is cut at the middle, whereby each cigarette will be provided with a built-in igniting member.

Suitable sticking means can be used to apply the elements made-up by two opposed end members to the paper strip, whereby the elements are securely kept in their relative positions while the paper strip is being fed into the machine.

Should an igniting member be fitted on the cigarette ends, the process according to the invention consists 'in providing square strengthening sections, provided on one of their'faces. with a rib made of a substance which can be ignited by striking. Then holes or slots are cut in the cigarette paper strip and the square strengthening sections are applied thereon in such a manner that they have their ribs directed along the longitudinal axis of the strip, and are to be exposed through said holes or slots, whereupon the tobacco roll is set on the paper strip and said strengthening sections and paper strips are rolled up and sealed around the tobacco, whereby the strengthening sections are rolled up enclosed, together with the tobacco, within the outer paper tube, leaving the lighting rib exposed through the holes or slots. Finally the continuous tube, coming out of machine, is cut at the middle of the strengthening sections, whereby cigarettes provided on one end with an igniting member are obtained.

According to the invention, the section by which the lighting rib is supported, has a strip-like extension having one of its faces partly coated with a compound designed to cause lighting of the rib formed on the strengthening section. Said extension is set in such a manner in relation to the cigarette, so as to have one end in the inside thereof, while the opposite end is projecting out of the cigarette as a tab, which can be seized and' torn oif, to remove from the cigarette the lighting strip, without damage of the paper tube within which the cigarette is enclosed.

The strengthening sections, as well as the strip-like extensions, could also be cut out from continuous elements, previously provided with a longitudinal lighting rib and a striking surface.

The further objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the features of cigarettes thus obtained, will be better understood by the following description of some preferred forms of said invention, taken with the accompanying drawings, said description and drawings being given only as an example thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top and bottom plan view of a strip of cigarette paper having a slot therein and having parts placed thereon which will form the igniting element of the cigarette in its finished form;

Fig. 2 shows the partsof Fig. 1 after they have been rolled up around a tobacco roll to form a cigarette and have been cut midway of the igniting element to form two cigarettes with igniting elements at opposed ends thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross section along line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a method of assembling the cigarettes according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of striking tab; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the striking tab of Fig. 5

as it is incorporated in a tube prior to being cut into individual cigarettes.

It is of course to be understood that the sizes of the pants-,show-ntin the .drawi-ngs,, have.-. been exaggeratedin order .twillustrate. clearly the inventive concept involved. The actual-dimensionsyareon the ..order. of conventional.

ciga rette-.paper...sizes.

The cigarettes as, shown .in.the,,Fi'gs:11 to 3 inclusive is providedon .one of. its.ends,.with a lighting, member.vv

Referringnow now to! Figs. 2 and-3, the-cigarette A con-.

sists,.,as.,,already well .kno,wn,. of a paper tube B, within whichthettobaccorollzc is enclosed.

The .lighting ,rnember'. consists. of a short tube. section:

At least, ,a part, of said, ribis exposed. attheend of the.

cigarette,. throughan. open endedslot formed from elongated slotl-I', cut: along fthelongitudinal axis ofpaper strip B,.Iin ordento allow theupper part of saidrib to be struck against a roughsurface, when the cigarette is .to be lighted.

The processforthetmanufacture of theaforedescribed ype tot-cigarette is asfollows:

At first-the strengthening. sectionwhich. eventually. forms tube Kis prepared by starting from a roll D, as seenninflFigi 4 made up by a strip of previously treated.

cellulose material whereonone or more ribsG have been applied. .Square sections Kof suchjdimensions that their width L(as seen in'Fig. 1) is almost equal to the. circum-.

ference of tube. B of cigarette A are cut out of the strip.

The paper strip B, as unrolled fromthe roll'M, has.

a longitudinalslot. H cut along the longitudinal axis of strip B (see Fig. 1), said slot being spaced two. cigarette lengthsfrom the next adjacent .slot, The strengthening section K'with'a length'L' covers the slot H and extends past the ends thereof. In the. case as.shown in' the" figures, the. strengthening sections K are cut each time from .the strip as it is unrolled1from roll D,fland are set onstrip B in such a manner that the rib G covers the slotsH.

The; spacing between successive slotsis equal to twice the length ofa cigarette A, i. e. said spacingcorresponds" to twomigatrettes; The strengthening sectionsv K are ap; pliedtopaper strip B in such a manner that they correspond, exactly with the slots H, previously cut in the said strip. Recourse could; be made to' a. suitable sticking means to: keep said strengtheningsections securely in their proper positions.

The strip B thus prepared is fed into a cigarette machine in the conventional manner, and the tobacco .roll is. set thereon, whereupon -the; whole is forwarded to mechanisms-by which the paper ,strip is'rolled-up, closed and sealed along-its longitudinal edges, thestrengthening sections -K thus being formed into tube sections. Thus, a continuous tube is obtained, within which the tobacco roll, and the rolled-up strengthening sections are-enclosed.

As can be easily appreciated thetobacco roll will also' be enclosed, without interruption, within the short tube 'sec-- tions K -formed by the rolled-up strengthening sections Thus a continuous tube P is obtained,-wherefrom the cigarettes-A and A are cutoff "by the cutter Q. The. tube P is first cut by the cutter Q; on thecenter of rolledup-strengthening sectionK, while'the subsequent cut is I made at a point where no strengthening section exists. It follows that the means by which the strengthening-sec:

tions K'are-cut from the strip unrolled from roll D, and then :set onto the strip B, must work at half the operating speed of cutter-.:-Q. Thus, it is possible-to manu-- facture cigarettes-provided with lighting members of the aforedescribed type at the same production rate asnthatx.

As seen in the figures, the cigarette maybe provided with a striking tab R which projects from the sides of the cigarette to enable it to be withdrawn and the igniter rib G rubbed thereon to ignite the igniter rib.

As seen in Fig. 1, the striking tab R has a roughened surface S thereon, the surface S being of a material which when rib G is rubbed thereon will cause rib G to ignite. This surface is-placed face up on the strengthening section K before-the assemblyis wrapped around-the tobacco roll C, so thatin. the rfinished.cigarette.thehroughened surface S is against the tobacco roll C. The end of the tab R is allowed to extend over the-edge of strip'B sotthat, as seeninFig. 3, when'the assemblyv is .wrapped around tobacco rollC, the tab R projects through a longitudinal aperture R left along-the1joint of theedges of strip B.

Fig. 4 shows the rolls M, D and T, wherefrom the paper strip B, the strip K for the strengthening sections, andtthestrip for the-.striking-latch R--S are. respectively unrolled.

The. .strip.,R-S- is arranged, in.-respect .ofstrip in such'a manner as to allow the section=R-to project-over the edge cf strip B while.thestrikingsurface S lies. over saidzstripK.

The strips. K and R-S .couldqbe .stuck. together, thus. forming double thickness quadrilatcral ..sections:KP-R, which .wouldihen .be, appliedon the strip; B and associated with "the slots .H.

As .shown .-by Figs; 1 andtlsthe longitudinal axisxof-x slots is-parallel, to,..or. coincident with the longitudinal axislof cigarettepaper strip B... Thestrengtheningquadrilateral sections Kaa-R areseton said .stripB by: placing the. sections in such'a manner. that theribGcorresponds. to: the slotH, while the. Jatch. .R .projects. over; the .edge .of the strip'.' B; thus formingv the .tab. to t be seized andpulled when thetigarette istQ-be lighted.

Then, the tobaccoroll iS':Set.OI1tOxth6 strip B, .andzthe: latter stripisrolledrup and sealed,together.withthequad-= rilateral sections K.S,-the. first of which. is rolled-up so. as to form a short tubesectionK,..whi1e,.as.shown bythe Fig. 2," the double latchfR projects from one, side. of .con-. tinuous tube P through a longitudinal. aperture 1R? defined. by the edges of .thestripB, from .Whichtube the cigarettes. A andA are cut-otf.

The cutter Q, .by cutting.,the.tub.e section .Ktogether. withfthe strengthening, sections RTS.in..two.1ike.halves;' causes separation of "the cigarette A from, subsequent cigarette.A',. leaving" pn adjacent. ends. .of bothcigarettes: the igniting ribs Gand the. striking zones'S locatedin the.. inside of paper tube formed by the paper strip B.

The striking surface S is pulled out. of. the cigarette by means" of the tab R,..througl1 the aperture. R between the-.. edges of strip Band the rib'Gis rubbed. on the surface .S..

To'ensure' a positive seal ofedges of strip. B at the end of "cigarette A, when the cigarette isprovided with the striking tabR; V notches ay be. cut from the strengthening sections-RS. The square-bottom W of said notches has-a widthsufiicient to allow the edges.-XX'of stripflB' (see-Fig.6) to. overlap along the section corresponding to notchV:

The-quadrilateral strengthening sections K and R-S are set-onthe strip B in such a manner that the bottom. W of notch V is inside the strip, edge, to'allow overlapping of strip edges alongthe section corresponding to said notch vf-while thestripB is being'rolle'd-up. The tabs R thus project from the .tube P through longitudinal. apertures-Rtlefin'ed between-the edges of the strip B.

Itj-followsthat bothcigarettesA ancl 'A, even after their separation-from-one= another-, will -be" positively sealed alo'ng the edgeswf strip' 'Bf'and also: along the. latchxR."

What I claim isr- 1. In a process for the manufacture of cigarettes in whioh' a flat'strip of-paper of a 'w-idth slightly' greater than the. circumference; of the cigarettes is wrapped' around a rollziofitobacco, that-improvement :comprising I the 1 steps of forming an aperture in said strip of paper; positioning on said strip of paper on the side thereof which will be next to the tobacco roll and over said aperture an element comprising a lighting member of slightly less width than said strip and an igniter rib thereon, said igniter rib lying against said paper strip oversaid aperture and being longer than said aperture in the longitudinal direction of said strip, and after the stripis wrapped around the roll of tobacco and secured, cutting said wrapped roll transversely to the length thereof through said aperture.

2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 in which said strip.

3. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 in which the positioning of said element comprises adhering said element to said strip.

4. In a process for the manufacture of cigarettes in which a flat strip of paper of a width slightly greater than the circumference of the cigarettes is wrapped around a roll of tobacco, that improvement comprising the steps of forming in said strip of paper an aperture elongated in the direction of the length of said strip of paper, cutting from a continuous band of lighting member with a longitudinal igniter rib thereon a length longer than said elongated aperture, positioning said length on said strip of paper on the side thereof which will be next to the tobacco roll and over said aperture with said igniter rib lying against said paper strip over said aperture and extending in the longitudinal direction of said strip, and after the strip is wrapped around the roll of tobacco and secured, cutting said wrapped roll transversely to the length thereof through the center of said aperture.

5. In a cigarette having a roll of tobacco wrapped in paper, a lighting member in the form of a tube positioned within the paper at one end of the cigarette, a longitudinal igniter rib on said tube, said paper having a slot therein in the portion covering said tube, said igniter rib being exposed through said slot, said tube and paper havi said aperture is elongated in the direction of the length of ing a longitudinal aperture therein, and a striking tab positioned within the tube between the roll of tobacco and the tube with the striking portion toward said roll of tobacco, said tab projecting laterally from the cigarette through said longitudinal aperture.

6. In a cigarette having a roll of tobacco, a paper wrapping wrapped around said roll, a lighting member in the form of a tube positioned within the paper wrapping at one end of said cigarette, and a longitudinal igniter rib on said tube, the end of said paper wrapping within which said tube is positioned having an open ended slot therein, one end of said igniter rib being exposed through said slot.

7. In a cigarette having a roll of tobacco, a paper wrapping wrapped around said roll, a lighting member in the form of a tube positioned within the paper wrapping at one end of said cigarette, and a longitudinal igniter rib extending the full length of said tube on the outside thereof, the end of said wrapping paper within which said tube is positioned having an open ended slot therein of a length shorter than the length of said tube, and a portion of said rib being exposed radially outwardly through said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 157,755 Livermore Dec. 15, 1874 170,901 Rosenthal Dec. 7, 1875 1,142,529 Rodriguez June 8, 1915 1,884,806 Morris Oct. 25, 1932 1,942,899 Parsons Jan. 9,' 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 706,277 France Mar. 24, 1931 442,848 Italy Dec. 2, 1948 569,486 Great Britain May 25, 1945 

